economic

adjective

eco·​nom·​ic ˌe-kə-ˈnä-mik How to pronounce economic (audio) ˌē-kə- How to pronounce economic (audio)
Synonyms of economic
1
a
: of, relating to, or based on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services
economic growth
b
: of or relating to an economy
a group of economic advisers
c
: of or relating to economics
economic theories
2
: economical sense 1
3
: having practical or industrial significance or uses : affecting material resources
4
: profitable
5
archaic : of or relating to a household or its management

Synonyms of economic

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Examples of economic in a Sentence

a program to prevent inflation and economic collapse the President's chief economic adviser We're looking for a more economic way of doing business.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Treasury yields moved lower across the curve on Thursday, as traders look ahead to key services and jobs data for more insights into the domestic economic picture following a sharp sell-off in global bond markets. — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026 As far as productivity goes, the great AI boom has failed to generate even a fraction of the economic returns sought by institutional investors. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026 Unless those policies change, a shrinking workforce will cause slower economic growth and lead to more expensive public debt. — Stuart Anderson, Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2026 Last month, 22 Democratic Assembly members and one state senator wrote to legislative leaders asking them to pause the law over economic concerns raised by the new report. — Susanne Rust follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for economic

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French yconomique "relating to domestic affairs, relating to the management of a household," borrowed from Medieval Latin oeconomicus (Latin as the title of Xenophon's dialogue Oeconomicus), borrowed from Greek oikonomikós "of a householder or manager, practiced in household or financial management," from oikonómos "manager of a household, steward" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at economy entry 1

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Time Traveler
The first known use of economic was in 1599

Phrases Containing economic

Rhymes for economic

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Browse Nearby Words

econometrics
economic
economical
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Cite this Entry

“Economic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/economic. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

economic

adjective
ec·​o·​nom·​ic
ˌek-ə-ˈnäm-ik, 
ˌē-kə-
1
a
: of or relating to the science of economics
economic theories
b
: of, relating to, or based on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services
economic growth
2
: having practical or industrial uses : affecting material resources
economic pests
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